TY - JOUR
T1 - Identification and characterization of lymphoid precursors in the murine intestinal epithelium
AU - Woodward, Jeremy
AU - Jenkinson, Eric
PY - 2001/11/1
Y1 - 2001/11/1
N2 - Although in vivo evidence supports a role for the murine intestinal epithelium in the extrathymic generation of certain intraepithelial T lymphocytes (IEL), no intraepithelial cells with in vitro lymphoid progenitor potential have yet been demonstrated. Using reaggregate fetal thymic organ culture techniques, we show that a subset of CD3(-) cells isolated from the intestinal epithelium of young mice is capable of generating T cells (alpha beta and gamma delta) and NK1.1(+) cells in vitro. A novel IEL subset bearing a low level of CD45 was identified and found to comprise cells expressing highly immature lymphoid markers including CD34, c-kit, CD122, CD127 and high levels of CD16 and CD44. This subset represents 20-30% of intraepithelial CD45(+) cells from 4-week-old wild-type and nude mouse strains and contains cells with in vitro T cell differentiation capacity. The identification of such an early pluripotent precursor phenotype within the intestinal epithelium implies that the potential for T cell generation exists at this site, and suggests that extrathymic T cell generation may occur within the epithelium itself.
AB - Although in vivo evidence supports a role for the murine intestinal epithelium in the extrathymic generation of certain intraepithelial T lymphocytes (IEL), no intraepithelial cells with in vitro lymphoid progenitor potential have yet been demonstrated. Using reaggregate fetal thymic organ culture techniques, we show that a subset of CD3(-) cells isolated from the intestinal epithelium of young mice is capable of generating T cells (alpha beta and gamma delta) and NK1.1(+) cells in vitro. A novel IEL subset bearing a low level of CD45 was identified and found to comprise cells expressing highly immature lymphoid markers including CD34, c-kit, CD122, CD127 and high levels of CD16 and CD44. This subset represents 20-30% of intraepithelial CD45(+) cells from 4-week-old wild-type and nude mouse strains and contains cells with in vitro T cell differentiation capacity. The identification of such an early pluripotent precursor phenotype within the intestinal epithelium implies that the potential for T cell generation exists at this site, and suggests that extrathymic T cell generation may occur within the epithelium itself.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0035189996&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1002/1521-4141(200111)31:11<3329::AID-IMMU3329>3.0.CO;2-W
DO - 10.1002/1521-4141(200111)31:11<3329::AID-IMMU3329>3.0.CO;2-W
M3 - Article
C2 - 11745350
SN - 1521-4141
SN - 1521-4141
SN - 1521-4141
SN - 1521-4141
SN - 1521-4141
SN - 1521-4141
SN - 1521-4141
SN - 1521-4141
SN - 1521-4141
SN - 1521-4141
SN - 1521-4141
SN - 1521-4141
SN - 1521-4141
SN - 1521-4141
SN - 1521-4141
SN - 1521-4141
SN - 1521-4141
SN - 1521-4141
SN - 1521-4141
SN - 1521-4141
SN - 1521-4141
SN - 1521-4141
SN - 1521-4141
SN - 1521-4141
SN - 1521-4141
SN - 1521-4141
SN - 1521-4141
SN - 1521-4141
SN - 1521-4141
SN - 1521-4141
SN - 1521-4141
SN - 1521-4141
SN - 1521-4141
SN - 1521-4141
SN - 1521-4141
SN - 1521-4141
SN - 1521-4141
VL - 31
SP - 3329
EP - 3338
JO - European Journal of Immunology
JF - European Journal of Immunology
ER -